What Are Retinol Eye Masks

Let's be real: Under-eye masks are basically a godsend. Slap them on during a long flight or after a night out, and dark circles disappear. Now, retinol eye masks exist, which are one-upping dark-circle stopping patches by also targeting fine lines found around the eyes. But are the patches, which are soaked in anti-aging heavy-hitters retinol and hyaluronic acid, safe sitting so closely under the eyes? Not to sound all Carrie Bradshaw, but it did make us wonder.

I know. You're probably like, "What are retinol eye masks even?" Allow me to explain. Similar to those patches you'd use to de-puff tired eyes, retinol-infused under-eyes patches, such as the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Masks, offer the same soothing benefits, including de-puffing and hydration, but with an added bonus: They're also specifically made to target eye area wrinkles, like those lil' crow's feet and naturally crepe-y skin. That's all due to those powerhouse ingredients I mentioned above, of course.

But placing a patch loaded with an ingredient as complicated as retinol so closely to one's eye—the most sensitive area of the face—made us a bit skeptical of the whole thing, so we asked New York City-based dermatologist Joshua Zeichner to weigh in.

"Retinol eye patches are safe, so long as you are not developing irritation from them," says Zeichner. "In the event of burning or stinging, remove right away." He also recommends starting slowly with retinol-laced eye patches—think once or twice a week— in order to build up tolerance to the ingredient and avoid irritation. "Retinol can cause dryness, redness, and peeling over the first few weeks, so do not apply every night as your skin gets used to the retinol."

Optometrist Tanya Gill agrees with Zeichner, but also warns to keep the patches at least one inch away from the eye area, as the treatments may cause dry eyes. "Along the eyelid margins are special oil glands called meibomian glands, and they are responsible for secreting meibum, a special oil that prevents tears from evaporating from the surface of the eye," explains Gill. "Retinol products can actually promote inflammation of the meibomian gland, which decreases meibum, which ultimately leads to dry eyes."

So while retinol can be used in the eye area, it's important to remember to keep your distance (one inch away, to be exact) from your actual eye ball, and always, always, always follow up with sunscreen in the area the next morning, as the anti-aging ingredient makes your skin more sensitive to the sun, says Zeichner.

We're giving them a try over the break—with all the holiday celebrating we're doing, there's no doubt we'll be a bit tired and worse for the wear when we come back to the office in January. If I look bright-eyed and awake, you know I used one of those retinol eye masks. (Or rather, I'd say you can safely assume I did.)